Musings. Oxford Dictionary defines musing as “A period of reflection or thought…” Just kidding – never start a piece of writing with a dictionary.com. Where was I? Oh, yes, the best thing about the UWA campus and what you always have to remember about it is its proximity to Matilda Bay. Dictionary.com defines Matilda Bay as “an ideal location to visit…”
You are walking to class? You have a break between classes? You finished a long day? All of these scenarios are vastly improved by a walk across the road (look both ways). Sit yourself down on the grass and put your feet into the sand. Watch the daylight ripple across the water and feel the sea-breeze caressing your face. Embrace the comfort; this is a site to reflect.
So what goes well with the sight of boats on the water? How about Soft Rock 101 aka Yacht Rock aka The Soft Serve aka what your parents listened to at uni aka 1080 6IX (Perth). Yes, that’s right, I will now recommend the right soundtrack for your very own exploration of Matilda Bay.
A serving suggestion for this time of the year, a starter if you will as summah gives way to semester, is the one-hit wonder Rob Dupree and his song ‘Steal Away’, which bears sonic similarity to The Doobie Brothers ‘What A Feel Believes’ (another stone-cold soft rock classic; do yourself a favour and listen to both in your first week of uni). ‘Steal Away’ has its own virtues to speak of, however. Firstly, you should watch the video of Rob Dupree performing this song or just look at a picture of him. There’s a very Ned Flanders vibe to him with his still-growing beard and flat hair, the look of an atypical 80s sitcom dad. Alongside 1970s-era Kenny Loggins, Dupree is the very definition of the dorky white guy extolling the sweet and seductive aura of romance, a major theme of the soft rock genre as a whole.
With its slow start sneaking up on you, the song’s chorus advises one to find those moments in between. Fantasising about breaking away from the pack with the heart’s intended, the song’s big-hearted vibe implores us to find that sliver of time outside of a busy schedule. Take a bit of time for yourself. There is so much to see and contemplate. For example, you might come across one particular boat anchored out on the water. On its side, which is painted red, there is one word in white lettering: “Redrum.” One ponders its very existence as the year beckons. Does the ship’s owner love the Stanley Kubrick film a great deal or do they just like the word – its very idea – reflected back to them on the surface of the water? Very heavy stuff to contemplate from the shoreline. Probably best to keep on walking and steal away into the night.
See what the combo of Matilda Bay and soft rock has produced? Pure drivel.